A 37 kDa 2-5A binding protein as a potential biochemical marker for
chronic fatigue syndrome

The American Journal of Medicine: 108; 2(Feb 2000);99-105

Kenny De Meirleir (a), Catherine Bisbal (b), Isabelle Campine (a), Pascale
De Becker (a), Tamim Salehzada (b), Edith Demettre (b) and Bernard Lebleu
(b).

[a]Department of Human Physiology and Medicine (KDM, IC, PDB), Vrije
Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
[b]Molecular Genetics Institute (CB, TS, ED, BL), Université Montpellier
II, Montpellier, France


Abstract

PURPOSE: Recent studies have revealed abnormalities in the ribonuclease L
pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with the chronic
fatigue syndrome. We conducted a blinded study to detect possible
differences in the distribution of 2-5A binding proteins in the cells of
patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and controls.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 57 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
and 53 control subjects (28 healthy subjects and 25 patients with
depression or fibromyalgia). A radioactive probe was used to label 2-5A
binding proteins in unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cell
extracts and to compare their distribution in the three groups.

RESULTS: A 37 kDa 2-5A binding polypeptide was found in 50 (88%) of the 57
patients with chronic fatigue syndrome compared with 15 (28%) of the 53
controls (P <0.01). When present, the amount of 37 kDa protein was very
low in the control groups. When expressed as the ratio of the 37 kDa
protein to the 80 kDa protein, 41 (72%) of the 57 patients with chronic
fatigue syndrome had a ratio >0.05, compared with 3 (11%) of the 28
healthy subjects and none of the patients with fibromyalgia or depression.

CONCLUSION: The presence of a 37 kDa 2-5A binding protein in extracts of
peripheral blood mononuclear cells may distinguish patients with chronic
fatigue syndrome from healthy subjects and those suffering from other
diseases.

(Manuscript received 3 August 1998 Revised 15 July 1999 Accepted 15 July
1999)
 
Requests for reprints to Prof. Dr. K. De Meirleir,
V.U.B. KRO gebouw-1, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussel, Belgium